Ifa Divination among the Yoruba

Ifa divination has spread beyond its origins among the Yoruba of Nigeria to several other West
African societies (such as the Benin Edo, Fon, and Ewe), and the people of Cuba and Brazil who
are descendants of Yoruba slaves.
The diviner attracts Ifas attention by tapping sticks or bells. Ifa is the God of Divination
who interprets and transmits the wishes of Olorun, who assigns and controls the destinies of
mankind. The diviner then recites the necessary initial prayers and invocations.
Then begins the castings of the outcomes. The diviner takes a set of 16 palm nuts. He
beats the nuts together with both hands and then grasps a
handful in his right hand, leaving only one or two nuts in his
left hand. (If there are none or more than two remaining, the
trial does not count and is ignored.)
If one nut remains in the diviners left hand, two
short lines are made in the dust on his wooden tray (); if
two nuts remain, one short line is made on the tray (). The
markings are not counts of the nuts remaining. They are two
different arbitrary symbols. In all, this procedure is repeated
until there are eight successful trials.
The marks on the tray are arranged into two columns of four each by alternating between
the right and left columns on each trial. The result is two columns of 4 marks. We will discuss
the following example:

Because each of the four positions in a column can be filled in one of two possible ways,
there are 24 = 16 possible different named Ifa figures. The meanings of the figure names are
unknown, although in some myths the figures are described as the sons of Ifa.
The name of the figure on the right is Ofun and the figure on the left is Obara. This
particular pairing is named Ofun Obara (readings are right to left). The number of possible
pairings is 16 x 16 = 256. Each of the 256 possible pairings seems equally likely to occur.
The particular pairing determines a series of verses that are then recited by the diviner.
The diviner knows a number of verses to be said in response to the different outcomes. For each
outcome, the diviner presents all of the verses he knows that are associated with it. The client
selects from these verses the one appropriate to his concern. (The diviner need not even be told
the concern.) The more verses a diviner knows, the better the chances of one closely fitting the
clients need.
A respected diviner of middle age is likely to know 4 verses for every figure, a total of
1024 verses. But very experienced diviners may know as many of 8 verses for every figure. The
more verses a diviner knows the more likely he is will recite a verse that will touch upon the
clients problem. The verses are general enough that the client will be able to see his problem
within the verse.

Most of the verses deal with death, illness, witches and evil spirits, desire for children,
money and wealth, business deals, political titles, and many others. Many verses are actually
quite general and can be applied to a great many situations.
The purpose of the process is to determine the correct sacrifice required for a favorable
resolution of the problem confronting the client. The sacrifice is necessary to ensure that the
predicted good fortune comes true and to avert any misfortune that has been foretold. Failure to
follow through with the correct sacrifice will have negative consequences.
Some verses also prescribe the preparation of a special medicine that the client uses to
wash, to drink, or to eat.
To review: There are 3 steps in Ifa divination. First is the selection of the correct figure
that is achieved by the manipulation of the palm nuts. Second is the selection of the correct verse
that is relevant to the clients problem. Third is the required sacrifice and/or preparation of the
appropriate medicine.
Central to the beliefs surrounding the divination practice known as Ifa are: Olorun, a
deity who assigns and controls the destinies of mankind; Ifa, the God of Divination who
interprets and transmits the wishes of Olorun; and Eshu, the Trickster/Messenger of Olorun who
carries the offerings from the people to Olorun, and who helps those who make appropriate
offerings.
Here are the 2 poems for our example Ofun Obara as recorded by William Bascom (Ifa
Divination: Communication between Gods and Men in West Africa (Indiana University Press,
1969.) Dont worry if all of the terms and references make no sense to you. One has to be
immersed in Yoruba culture and be familiar with Yoruba mythology for it all to make sense.
(1) It is white, flickering was the one who cast Ifa for Fire on the day when he was going
to take the title of Child up high, on the day that things were not going well for Fire.
They said he should sacrifice three cocks, a pot of palm oil, and one shilling three pence, so
that things might go well for him. Fire sacrificed. When Fire is about to die, if we pour
palm oil on him he begins to dance up high.
Ifa says there is a man to whom the Sky God will give his destiny, even though he is
almost an old man, the fire of his destiny will continue to dance up high. But he should
offer a sacrifice.
(2) It is in the dense forest that we pluck twine, it is down that we pull rope was the one
who cast Ifa for Fly on the day that he was going to take Birdlime as his wife. [Birdlime isa
sticky substance like that on flypaper.] They warned him that she would neither divorce
him nor give him peace. Fly said Al right, he would marry her anyway. On the day that he
married Birdlime, when he touched her with his band, Birdlime seized him; and when he
touched her with his foot, Birdlime seized him. Fly rolled his hear against her and was
stuck completely. Then Fly began to say I-I-I lov-v-ve you-u-u. [This is what a fly says
when it buzzes.] Fly kept saying this until he died in the Birdlime.
Ifa says someone will marry a very beautiful woman, but when this woman refuses to
divorce him, the man will not have peace with this woman until he dies. Three cocks and
one shilling three pence is the sacrifice that they choose for Fly, but he did not make it. If
Fli had made this sacrifice, he would not always get stick in Birdlime.